OUR STORY
The College of Prayer was founded in 1997 by Rev. Fred Hartley and three other pastors who were mentored by Rev. Armin Gesswein.
Our past and future are connected deeply to the need to mentor, train and equip Upper Room disciples and to see every church become a "house of prayer for all nations" (Isaiah 56:7; Mark 11:17).
It is in the Upper Room where we encounter God's presence, where we are filled by the Holy Spirit, and where we are sent forth as empowered disciples to reach a lost world.
REACHING A LOST WORLD THROUGH A REVIVED CHURCH
Since our beginning we have seen significant growth throughout the world. We are now ministering in over 170 nations where we are actively mentoring more than 25 million Christians to reach a lost world through a revived church.
OUR SERVANT LEADERS
Our movement is led by a team of servant leaders and revivalists who have a deep longing to see the church become a house of prayer for all nations. Our mission doesn't stop at prayer. We want to see the church revived and empowered to reach the lost and transform neighborhoods and nations.
Our mission is to reach a lost world through a revived church!
REV. FRED HARTLEY, III
President
As President of the College of Prayer, Fred is our visionary leader. He was mentored by Armin Gesswein, whose ideas and passions helped shape the College of Prayer. Fred is also the Lead Pastor at One Mission Church, a multi-ethnic church located in metro Atlanta, GA where he and his wife Sherry have served since 1988. Fred has traveled the world preaching and teaching and has authored more than 25 books, many of which are available here.
REV. JON MITCHELL
Growth Director
Jon has an amazing spirit, heart, and passion for the Kingdom of God and he desires to see lives ignited by the manifest presence of Christ. As the Growth Director of the College of Prayer, he provides oversight to the growth, traction to the vision, and travels extensively to stir revival and teach on prayer wherever he goes. Jon loves spending time with his wife and three girls, as well as watching the Alabama Crimson Tide beat other teams in football.
REV. FRED HARTLEY, IV
Church Relations Director
Fred has had 15 years of pastoral experience serving congregations in Ohio, Florida and Minnesota. He received his Masters Degree in Leadership at Columbia International University and his undergrad at Toccoa Falls College. Fred is strongly relational and compassionate, as well as administrative and organizational. With the rapid expansion of our ministry, his role will enable us to work pastor-to-pastor with local churches throughout the U.S. Fred and his wife Joanna have four children. Fred loves to spend quality time with his family, do evangelism and play golf.
REV. DON YOUNG
Pioneer Director
Don Young is an international revivalist and serves as Pioneer Director of our parent organization, College of Prayer. Don works closely with our President and Regional Directors to oversee all current and developing ministry initiatives. Don and his wife Marlen have been involved with the College of Prayer since its inception in 1997, serving in various roles throughout the years. The Young's were formerly missionaries in West Africa for 15 years and have traveled and ministered in more than 45 countries. They have served with other ministries and as President of a Bible College. Revival prayer is their passion and they continue to teach and minister worldwide.
"Nothing separates and distinguishes the Church from every other institution on earth like the manifest presence of Christ, and prayer draws the presence."
Fred Hartley, III
OUR BELIEFS & VALUES
We are a Word and Spirit ministry affirming the authority of the inerrant Bible over all of life, and the Spirit's enabling empowerment to live victoriously.
The Upper Room Jesus established was not limited to one people group, but a call to unify His followers hearts and minds to be in one accord. The College of Prayer is a place where we cross denominational, gender, racial, political and generational lines. Our students come from a wide spectrum of Christian denominations including Southern Baptist, Christian & Missionary Alliance, Vineyard, Assembly of God, Free Methodist, Nazarene and a host of others.
We affirm the Lusanne Covenant and the doctrinal statement of the National Association of Evangelicals.
CHRIST EXALTING
The singular goal of the College of Prayer is for the knowledge of the glory of the Lord to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.
GOD'S PRESENCE MANIFESTING
We appreciate God's omnipresence and anticipate His manifest Presence. We exist to lead the church to a fresh encounter with God's manifest presence.
REPENTANCE FACILITATING
As we lead people to a fresh encounter with God, we always give preference to the spirit of contrition. The College of Prayer is a safe place for people to engage in life-transforming repentance.
BIBLE TEACHING
The Bible is the Word of God and serves as our only ultimate rule of life and practice.
KINGDOM ADVANCING
We are advancers of Christ's Kingdom. We joyfully serve inter-denominationally throughout the broader Body of Christ.
SATAN EVICTING
As Christ's Kingdom advances, demonic strongholds are exposed and eradicated. Practical teaching is provided to equip leaders with tools to engage the enemy in the gateways of life.
LOCAL CHURCH TRANSFORMING
We are committed to partnering with pastors and local churches, leading them to an upper room, fresh encounter with God.
NATION DISCIPLING
We are passionate about training national leaders and national churches to reach the final unreached peoples of the earth.
RELATIONSHIP NURTURING
People are God's method. The Kingdom is advanced through Christians in vital union with other Christians. In other words, the Kingdom is advanced along relational lines.
MARRIAGE REBUILDING
We teach husbands and wives to cultivate a robust prayer life with each other. We equip parents to bless their children.
PASTOR AND LEADER MENTORING
As goes pastors and leaders, so goes the Body of Christ. The greatest teaching method was modeled by Christ who met with His followers for three years.
INTERCESSOR AFFIRMING
The future belongs to the intercessors. We identify, equip and elevate them to their proper place.